Consumed by Shadows
by SkywardGratis
Summary: They were once consumed by the shadows of pain.  Dark Themes. Deals with rape and kidnapping.
1. Chapter 1

The darkness of the room surrounded her as she struggled against the belt wrapped tightly around her wrists; the pain shooting through the already bleeding skin was a welcome distraction from the pain coursing through other parts of her body. Somewhere in the distance she heard the sound she had come to signify with more pain and she felt her breath catch as footsteps echoed throughout the warehouse. She took several deep breaths and closed her eyes. The room around her faded and she was transported back in time to a place where she had truly felt safe.

_She was in Castle's building. He was a few steps ahead of her. His suit still dirty from the explosion earlier that day. He'd been held hostage that morning and she still couldn't quite believe it. It had been one hell of a day and she knew that she'd let too many of her walls down today but she couldn't bring herself to really care. She had watched that building explode in front of her that morning and right now she needed to make sure that he was truly alive. He unlocked the door to the loft and before she realised what was happening Martha's arm had enclosed around her and she was being spun around. She couldn't help but revel in the feeling of a mother's arms around her once again; she had never met someone who could make her feel the way her mother had until she met Martha. Suddenly she found herself caught up in the great array of food that Martha had organised and followed the older woman towards Castle's liquor stash. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt as safe as she did at that moment._

A loud crash resounded through the warehouse; vibrations shooting across the concrete floor caused her to shiver. A breeze wiped through the warehouse and shivers wracked her whole body as she lay exposed on the old mattress. She struggled more strongly against her bindings as she prepared herself for whatever she would be subjected to next. The past 48 hours had shown her what the true depravity of the human mind could force someone to do. She didn't even want to think about what else her captor could possible do to her. The footsteps came closer and she attempted to relax, knowing that there was nothing else she could do now. A beam from a flashlight ghosted over her and she stifled a gasp as it focused more intently on her. As the light became two, the sound around her suddenly penetrated her ears and she attempted to turn towards the lights.

"Hey Beckett… it's alright…" She could just about make out Ryan's voice behind her and she struggled to turn towards him. "Shh… just stay still… Medic's will be here soon, just lie still" She slumped back down onto the mattress, her whole body beginning to sing in pain. She heard a commotion coming from the doorway and struggled to focus on what was being shouted. She could hear Castle's voice sounding out over everyone else's. She felt Ryan shift behind and his voice sounded quieter than she had ever heard before, "Can we let Castle in Beckett? He's been…god it's…" His voice broke and she wanted desperately to reach out to him. She coughed slightly and winced at the pain it caused through her chest. "Cover me first please..." Her voice sounded weak and she hated how she could not even force it to hold any of its usual strength. She felt Ryan shift and then his jacket was covering her shivering frame. She felt him stand and she held her breath as two sets of footsteps neared her. She held her breath as a shadow cast of her before Castle's face appeared in her field of vision.

"Hey…" He squatted down in front of her, his hand reaching out to touch her before he thought better of it and dropped in onto the mattress in front of her. She offered him the strongest smile she could and he gave her one in return. She lifted her head slightly in an attempt to meet his eyes and he lifted his hand towards her again "Can I?" She stared at him for a moment before nodding her head as much as she could before it dropped to the mattress again. His fingers ghosted over her bruised cheek and she shuddered beneath him "Sorry…" He went to retract his hand but she shook her head desperately. Taking a deep breath she kicked her feet and forced her body closer to his. His hand came back to rest on her cheek and although she shuddered slightly, it was nowhere as severe the previous had been. She coughed again, a ripple of pain shooting through her chest again. "Where does it hurt?" His voice as quiet and she found herself focusing on its tone, her ears tuning to only hear what he was saying. She swallowed and winced as her voice broke as she tried to speak. "Everywhere…ribs mainly… my head's a little sore… bruised pretty much everywhere…" She planned to carry on speaking but a loud noise sounded from behind her and she jumped, her head jolting forward and coming to rest on his hand. "Shh… it's alright Kate. Try to relax; I'm here for as long as you want me to be." She nodded, her breath coming in short pants as she tried to relax into him. "It was only Lanie, Kate… she's just worried about you." Again she inclined her head slightly and he stroked her cheek, the tremor that shot through her body barely noticeable now. "Can she come in?" Kate nodded her head again, her throat too sore to try and speak for too long. "Do you want me to go?" She shook her head vehemently and moved into him slightly further. He nodded and dropped his hand back to her cheek. His other hand rose into the air and she saw him beckon across the room. She heard the sound of heels clicking across the floor and it was only seconds before she appeared on Castle's right.

"Hey girl… good to see ya again." She offered Lanie a small smile and tried to focus on her face. "Just wanted to see you for myself… Medic's will be in to you as soon as the whole area has been swept… they won't let me treat you but I can be there if you want me to be?" Kate thought for a moment and stared up at the two faces hovering over her.

"Thanks Lane… but I got my partner." Her voice came out sounding even weaker than it had before but she struggled to care. A big smile appeared on Lanie's face and she watched her best friend nod. "I'll be around if you need me, you just get writer boy to call me okay?" Kate stared at her, her eyes trying to convey how grateful she felt for her friends trust. She blinked a few times before a single tear rolled down her cheek. Castle's hand brushed it away and she smiled slightly at him. She didn't realise Lanie had left until she glanced at the space where her best friend had been and noticed it was empty. She glanced at Castle he smiled at her. "She'll be outside if you want her." Kate nodded and allowed herself to relax into his body. His arm came to rest on her shoulders and neither of them paid any attention to the shudder that rocked her light frame. "Shall I tell you a story?" His voice was quiet and she could sense the nervousness radiating off of him. She bit her lip slightly and her own voice held an equal amount of nervousness, "Please."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

It seemed like hours before the promised medics arrived but in reality both of their time had been too focused on the intricate tales Castle was telling from Alexis' childhood. Footsteps headed closer to the pair and Castle looked up to see Ryan and a female medic standing a few feet away from them. "Hey Kate… medic's here now." She glanced in the direction he was looking but made no move to escape from his lap. Castle stiffened slightly as the medic neared them, as he ghosted his hand over her cheek in an attempt to comfort her. The medic spoke briefly with Ryan before kneeling beside Castle.

"Hi Kate… My name's Sophia and I'm going to just check you over… can you tell me where it hurts?" Castle felt Kate stiffen as the medic came into her view and he softly stroked her cheek again. She glanced up at him and he smiled.

"She told me earlier that it was mainly her ribs and that she bruises everywhere else." The medic's eyes narrowed before focusing on Kate again.

"Is that right Kate?" Kate attempted to roll her eyes and Castle couldn't help but chuckle at her display of the usual Beckett.

"Go with it Kate, she's only here to help you." Kate's eyes narrowed as she squinted to make out his features in the darkness before swallowing sharply.

"I'd hit you if I could…" She rasped as she stared up at him, her attention focused on him, paying no mind to the medic at his side. He chuckled again, carefully not to dislodge her from her position resting against his legs. At some point during his storytelling he'd moved to sit on the mattress and her head had come to rest squarely on his thighs. Kate smiled lightly at him before turning her head to the medic. "Yes, mainly my ribs. My wrists are cut and I'm bruised. I would kill for some water and…" Kate paused as she blinked rapidly to stop more tears from escaping her eyes. She felt Castle shift slightly and she struggled to stop him leaving.

"Shh… it's alright Kate, I'm not going anywhere." She relaxed into him as soon as he spoke and his hand came to rest on her cheeks. "Listen to me Kate… whatever hurts, they need to know… and you should know by now that I won't think any less of you for admitting you're in pain… I'm here for as long as you want me to be okay?" His words provided her with the comfort she'd been seeking but they also gave her the courage to finish her sentence.

"I was raped…" She could feel Castle stiffen as she spoke and braced herself for the impact of further pain as she had come to expect since her kidnapping. When it didn't come she forced her eyes up to meet his and found nothing but love in them. "Castle…" He shook his head telling her silently not to speak, his eyes connected with hers in the darkness and she held his gaze. She only averted her eyes when the medic coughed to gain her attention.

"Kate, I'm going to get someone to cut the bindings on your wrists and ankles then we'll get you onto a gurney and to the hospital okay?" Kate nodded weakly as her head fell back into Castle's lap, her strength dwindling. Suddenly she felt his hands leave her cheek and hover above her head.

"Can I…" He stopped speaking and she could tell he was struggling with what to do. Gazing up at him she shifted in order to gain his attention before uttering three simple words. "I trust you."

Castle nodded and his hands dropped to stroke lightly over her hair. She knew it was matted with mud and god knows what else but it didn't seem to stop him. He combed his fingers gently through the limp strands, taking great care when he came into contact with the tangles. "Alexis' always had such tangled hair as a child." His voice was quiet, as if he hadn't truly meant to speak but when she opened her eyes to look at him she found his attention focused solely on her.

Two shadows appeared over them and they both looked up to find Ryan and the medic standing over them. "Gunna get those binds off Beckett." Ryan spoke softly but his tone barely concealed the pain she knew they all must be feeling. She nodded her head and focused her gaze on Castle's face as she felt Ryan move behind her. Her body stiffened as he touched her but Castle's hands grounded her as he continued to stroke through her hair. Ryan moved swiftly and it was only minutes before both her ankles and her wrists were free. The medic moved to tend to the rope burn cuts on her wrist whilst her attention was focused elsewhere. Time seemed to slow as Castle's voice sounded out again, without being asked he seemed to know exactly what she needed and he carried on with his rendition of Alexis' childhood that she was sure was being over exaggerated.

The sound of voice caught both of their attention and they turned to see a gurney being pushed towards them. Kate stiffened instantly and ripped her hands from the medic's as she scrambled to move away. Castle moved quicker than her and had his hands resting on cheek before she had managed to sit up fully.

"Kate… Kate… Calm down, it's okay, it's okay… shh…" His voice broke through to her and she looked around the room wildly, her eyes flitting from the medic with the gurney to the stunned medic standing by the mattress before settling on Castle's. Her voice was so quiet he nearly didn't hear her but when he did he understood.

"No gurney… no… no…" She continued to murmur as he stroked his fingers back through her hair. Neither of them noticed as Ryan's jacket slipped down her body and exposed the bruised skin. She shivered against Castle as he tried to calm her down and he reached to tug the jacket tighter around her, his eyes never leaving her face. To say Kate was surprised was an understatement. She knew how his mind worked and she dreaded to think what scenarios were rushing through his writers mind. He spoke quietly, his gaze focused on her face.

"We need to get you out of here Kate… get you to the hospital… Will you let me carry you?" She sucked in a breath at his words but she knew there was no other way out of here… The simple attempt at moving a few inches had caused pain to rip through her body and left her breathless; she knew she would never be able to walk out of here on her own. She opened her eyes to meet Castle's stare and nodded slightly. He met her eyes briefly before nodding, obviously satisfied with her response. "Ryan?" His call sounded foreign in the concrete room and she realised that until then every around her had been whispering. She heard footsteps behind her and glanced up to meet Ryan's gaze. She smiled weakly at him, the gratitude showing as he knelt before her.

"How're you two doing?" She nodded and felt Castle take a breath before speaking.

"Can you get a blanket or something so we can cover Beckett a bit more? Get her out of here you know?" Ryan nodded and sprung back to his feet, hurrying towards the entrance to the room. She felt Castle's hands move from her hair and then he helped her to steadily sit up.

"I'm going to button up Ryan's jacket okay Kate?" She nodded in reply and he made quick work of the few buttons available. Ryan appeared beside them, a medical blanket in one hand and a bottle of water in the other.

"Medic says you can have a few sips of this before you get moved okay?" She nodded and reached out for the bottle. Her hands shook as she lifted it to her mouth and instantly Castle's hands came to cover hers and steady the bottle. She sipped the water for a few minutes, relishing in the feel of the cool liquid soothing her dry throat. Handing the bottle back to Ryan she murmured her thanks to them both before attempting to push herself further upright. As she sat up Castle stood, flexing his legs to rid them of the cramp for the most part before leaning over her.

"I'm going to slip one arm under your knees and the other around your back and lift you up… then Ryan'll get you covered up… is that okay?" She focused on his plan of action for a moment before nodding. Castle moved slowly, his movement slightly jerky in order to let her relax into the idea of him touching her. He lifted her in an instant and although she jerked slightly some part of her knew she was safe with him. Ryan wrapped the blanket across her lap and they stood for a moment before Ryan spoke.

"There's a few cops outside of this room along with the medical team but no one that you haven't met before on a couple of crime scenes… everyone else was sent back to the precinct." Kate nodded before laying her head against Castle's shoulder.

"Let's just get this over with."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three:

The journey from what had become her prison for the past 48 hours outside went uneventfully. No one stopped them and it was only as she lay in the back of the bus, her hand grasped tightly in Castle's that anyone dared to approach her. The head that appeared around the side of the vehicle was one she had been looking for ever since they had stormed the building to rescue her. Esposito stepped up the steps and leant against the closed door of the bus.

"Good to see you Becks." She smiled at the nickname he's given her when they'd first met and reached out her other hand to grasp his; her body shuddered as he tightened his grip but the smile staying put on her bruised face.

"You too Espo." They shared a smile before he placed a light kiss to her hand and laid it down on the bed.

"They're taking you to the hospital now… Ryan and I will be right behind you with Lanie… You let us know if you need anything." The question was directed at them both but it was Kate who replied.

"I got all I need right now thanks. " Her gaze swung to meet Castle's and the slightly smirk on his face had a blush trying to creep its way across her cheeks.

"Same old Mom and Dad." Esposito's tone was joking but they all knew the seriousness behind his statement. Kate laughed as Castle held up his hand for Esposito to 'feed the birds' and gasped as pain shot through her chest. The two men focused back on her and she smiled tightly.

"I'm okay…" They both knew that she wasn't but neither said anything. Esposito jumped down and headed back onto the street to get the bus moving and Castle's hand returned to running through her hair.

"It's going to be okay Kate… We're all here for you." She smiled at him, slightly more relaxed as the pain dissipated to a dull ache.

"I know." Her voice sounded the strongest it had been since her rescue and they both knew that it was the truth. She trusted her team; they'd saved her and although she knew that it would be a long time before she was able to express that trust to them, they would still be there.

The sun was setting, turning the sky a darkened red by the time Kate was settled in a private hospital room. Castle was sat in the uncomfortable chair beside her bed, her hand grasped lightly in his. Lanie sat on the opposite side of the bed, her hands wringing tightly together.

The past few hours had been unpleasant for all three of them. None more than Kate but she knew the pain her friends must be feeling on her behalf. She had asked for both of them to be at her side whilst the doctors and nurses cleaned and dressed her wounds and completed a rape kit. They already had the guy who'd kidnapped her in a holding cell at the twelfth but the kit had been required to complete the case against him.

She felt as if she was floating, the pain medication singing its way through her blood stream was making it hard for her to focus but it was also allowing her to relax. She felt Lanie shift off of the bed and her eyes fluttered open to focus on her best friend.

"I'm going to head to the twelfth sweetie… see how Javi and Kevin are doing." She nodded her head slightly and offered her a smile. As the door shut silently behind the ME Kate's gaze swivelled to the man at her side. He'd been really great through all of this but she knew he'd need to leave soon.

"You should head home, Alexis must be missing you." Her voice was still scratchy and she swallowed roughly. The hospital had kept her in overnight for dehydration and exhaustion but would be releasing her the following day with a contact for a psychiatrist.

"I'm not leaving." His voice was low but she could hear the confidence behind it, she'd have to fight him if she wanted him to leave. "Alexis is away for the week… and I told you when we found you that I'd be here as long as you'd let me…" she turned to face him, her body shaking at the movement. "I don't think you really want me to leave…" As she focused on his face she could see the insecurity deep in his blue eyes. She blinked at him, her hand reaching out to rest against his cheek.

"No, I don't."

"Then I'll be here… wherever you need me to be…" He stroked his thumb over her hand, the tremors that he had felt earlier that day barely noticeable now. "I promised you always Kate."

**AN: **that's all for now. There might be a sequel in the future.

-Aimee


End file.
